


Three is a Crowd for One

by dieForgotten



Category: Curse of Strahd - Fandom, Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: American Sign Language, Curse of Strahd, Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Gen, Ghosts, Multiple Personalities, Muteness, Paranormal, Possession, Psychic Abilities, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 15:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17748095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dieForgotten/pseuds/dieForgotten
Summary: Inner monologue of Nivnis and his possessers, Rosavalda and Thornboldt Durst.





	Three is a Crowd for One

**Author's Note:**

> Italics are thought.  
> The left is Rose, middle is Nivnis, right is Thorn. Bold italics is Hope.

_Thorn is scared._

_Yes. I can feel it._

_I don't like the dark, mister._

_We weren't supposed to be here you know._

_You wanted company, right?_

_Yes._

_Well this is where company is going. I have to help them. It'll help you too._

_We could run._

_No._

_Run._

_NO._

_RUN!_

**_NIVNIS!_ **

A separate, booming voice stuns me back out of my head. I look around and see the violet tiefling woman staring at me with concern in her luminous, yellow eyes.

"...I'm alright, Hope. Sorry about that," I say, signing as I speak.

She nods curtly.

"And thank you."

She swings an arm, bent at the elbow, around and brings it gently to rest just beneath her chest. 

She doesn't like to be in my head. It's too messy. It took a lot of effort for her to pry in and stop them just now. I'm very grateful for that.

Suddenly, I feel myself being pushed back in my mind.

"He's crying now, Miss," my voice comes out higher than it should. 

Hope gives a confused look that turns to one of dismissal. She shrugs as if to say 'what do you want me to do about it?'.

"I'm not asking much, I was just wondering if you can calm him down." A strain is hurting my vocal chords. I try to claw back my body, but I'm silenced, as if an entitled hand pressed itself across my mouth. "It's only fair."

 _Rose, please. Thorn is crying. I can't take care of this by myself._

She shrinks back. 

_I had to._

_What?_

_I had to take care of him by myself. I couldn't. Then I had to take care of him as we watched ourselves rot._ _You'll learn._

_I'm sorry, Rose._

"I'm sorry, Hope." 

_She doesn't like us._

_She's worried you'll get us hurt if you take charge at the wrong time._

My mind turns bitter and cold. There's silence from the girl. The boy continues to weep softly. 

Hot, salty tears cannot melt an entire icy lake on their own. It only provides more water with which to fortify it's layers. This lake had been frozen for far too long. I can only hope that being alive in a shared body will thaw this lake of hers. Thaw and let their disgarded remains nourish life. Let there be, in their bones, the minerals on which buds grow, and flowers bloom. Let the thorns of the plants protect their final resting place. Protect their namesake's small, cold frames from further harm.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by my group's run of Strahd so far. Nivnis is my own character, and Hope is another PC. Rose and Thorn are both NPCs you meet early on. Nivnis uses Sign Language, despite the fact that Hope can hear because it's the only real way she'll know it's him and not one of the ghosts.


End file.
